The Journal claims the tests are taking place at Sharp's Sakai plant in western Japan—one of the most advanced LCD facilities in the world—which is capable of producing sets over 60 inches in size and already spits out devices for Vizio. Details of the tests in question are, however, predictably scant.

While Wall Street Journal rumors tend to be fairly reliable, there's little detail in this article to actually be proved correct. In fact, it goes as far as quoting a source as saying that the TV "isn't a formal project yet".

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No shit. Of course Apple is testing TV designs and of course it isn't a formal project yet. Rumors have swirled for an absolute age about the future existence of an Apple TV and, and Tim Cook mentioned just last week that TV was an area of "intense interest."

It's a rumor as insidious as cicadas and even more annoying: the Apple Television. Not another …
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But you know what? That doesn't mean a TV is on its way. It doesn't even necessarily means an Apple TV will ever arrive: it just means that Apple is speculating, as it does with lots of ideas. Maybe the tests will go well and fanboys will love the TV like their children. Or maybe they'll go badly and it will never see the light of day. Either way, this rumor doesn't add much to the speculation—but at least it's not as dumb as some. [Wall Street Journal via Verge]